Banoffee pie facts for kids
A slice of banoffee pie served with ice cream
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| Type | Pie |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Region or state | Jevington, East Sussex, England |
| Created by | Nigel Mackenzie and Ian Dowding |
| Main ingredients | pastry base or crumbled biscuits, butter, bananas, cream, toffee |
Banoffee pie is a super yummy English dessert. It's a type of pie that mixes sweet bananas, smooth cream, and a rich, thick caramel sauce. This delicious filling sits on a base made from either buttery pastry or crushed biscuits mixed with butter. Sometimes, people add chocolate or coffee to make it even more special!
The name "Banoffee" is a clever mix of two words: "banana" and "toffee". It's called a portmanteau, which means two words are blended together to create a new one. You might also see it spelled "banoffi".
Contents
How Banoffee Pie Was Invented
The Hungry Monk Restaurant Story
The story of Banoffee pie begins in 1971 at a place called The Hungry Monk Restaurant. This restaurant was in Jevington, a small village in East Sussex, England. The owner, Nigel Mackenzie, and the chef, Ian Dowding, are the ones who created this famous dessert.
They were trying to improve an old American recipe for a "Coffee Toffee Pie." The original recipe wasn't quite right, so they decided to make their own soft toffee. They did this by boiling an unopened can of condensed milk for several hours. This turned the milk into a thick, sweet caramel.
Finding the Perfect Fruit
After making the toffee, they experimented with different fruits. They tried adding apples and even mandarin oranges. But it wasn't until Nigel Mackenzie suggested adding bananas that they knew they had found the perfect match! Ian Dowding later said that as soon as they tried it with bananas, they knew it was "right."
Nigel Mackenzie came up with the name "Banoffi Pie." The dessert quickly became a huge hit with their customers. It was so popular that they couldn't possibly take it off the menu!
Sharing the Recipe
The recipe for Banoffee pie was first shared in a cookbook called The Deeper Secrets of the Hungry Monk in 1974. It was printed again in another cookbook in 1997. Ian Dowding, the chef, has mentioned that he prefers a proper pastry base over a biscuit crumb base. He also doesn't like cream from aerosol cans!
Over time, many other restaurants around the world started making their own versions of Banoffee pie. In 1984, some supermarkets began selling it, but they called it an "American pie." Nigel Mackenzie, proud of his English invention, offered a £10,000 prize to anyone who could prove it wasn't invented in England!
The Word "Banoffee" Today
The word "Banoffee" became so well-known that it entered the English language. Now, it's used to describe anything that tastes or smells like both banana and toffee. For example, you might find "Banoffee" flavored candies or milkshakes.
You can often find a recipe for Banoffee pie printed on tins of Nestlé's condensed milk. This recipe usually suggests boiling the condensed milk with extra butter and sugar, rather than boiling the unopened tin. This is a safer way to make the delicious toffee for your pie!
See also
In Spanish: Tarta Banoffee para niños
